The High Court instructed them to vacate the property by 8 October. If they fail to do so they will be evicted by the sheriff of the court and police.
The group of activists who occupied a Camps Bay mansion to highlight land and housing issues stand outside the Western Cape High Court on 2 October 2020. Picture: Kaylynn Palm/EWN
CAPE TOWN – Activists have less than a week to vacate a Camps Bay luxury house that they have been illegally occupying.
The seven artivists, who call themselves ‘We See You’, have been occupying the mansion for almost two weeks to draw attention to land and housing issues.
They legally booked the house for a weekend but overstayed their welcome and were hauled before the Western Cape High Court on Friday.
The group occupying the luxury house, with multiple rooms, a pool and a jacuzzi appeared in court yesterday.
The High Court instructed them to vacate the property by 8 October.
If they fail to do so they will be evicted by the sheriff of the court and police.
#CampsBay Attorney representing the property owner Milton De La Harpe says irrespective of the reasons why they went onto the property, it was done in a deceitful manner. @kaylynnpalm pic.twitter.com/FeMkAXECRH
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 2, 2020
Sarah Summers, who represented the group in court, said that they were satisfied with the judgment.
“I really feel like we got a fair trial.”
The attorney representing the property owner, Milton de La Harpe, said that via Airbnb, the activists claimed that they were a family of seven and wanted a chilled weekend.
He added that this was done in a deceitful manner and with criminal intent.
“This judgment was created to say that the PAIA Act is not applicable. You cannot go into a property and think that you are going to stay in that property under false pretenses. This cannot be tolerated.”